State Ex Rel. Nh

11 So. 3d 27, 2009 WL 837783
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMarch 27, 2009
Docket2008 KJ 2464
StatusPublished

This text of 11 So. 3d 27 (State Ex Rel. Nh) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State Ex Rel. Nh, 11 So. 3d 27, 2009 WL 837783 (La. Ct. App. 2009).

Opinion

11 So.3d 27 (2009)

STATE of Louisiana In the Interest of N. H.

No. 2008 KJ 2464.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, First Circuit.

March 27, 2009.

*28 Walter P. Reed, District Attorney, Covington, Louisiana, by Kathryn Landry, Special Appeals Counsel, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for Plaintiff/Appellee, State of Louisiana.

Michael D. Bass, Brett K. Duncan, Hammond, Louisiana, for Defendant/Appellant, N.H.

Before KUHN, GUIDRY, and GAIDRY, JJ.

GAIDRY, J.

N.H., a child, was alleged to be delinquent by petition # 7911JJ based on one count of possession with intent to distribute a "legend drug" within one thousand feet of property used for school purposes (count I), a violation of La. R.S. 40:981.3. Additionally, he was alleged to be delinquent by petition # 7912JJ based on two counts of battery of a correctional officer (counts I and III), violations of La. R.S. 14:34.2; one count of second degree battery (count II), a violation of La. R.S. 14:34.1; three counts of battery of a school teacher (counts IV, V, and VIII), violations of La. R.S. 14:34.3; one count of possession of cocaine (count VI), a violation of La. R.S. 40:967(C); and one count of "riot,"[1] (count IX), a violation of La. R.S. *29 14:329.1. The child initially pled not true on all counts. Thereafter, pursuant to a "sentencing agreement," the child pled true to petition # 7911JJ, count I, following amendment of the charge to one count of violation of La. R.S. 40:1238.1, prohibiting sale, distribution, or possession of a legend drug without a prescription or order, and pled true to petition #7912JJ, counts V and IX, and the State dismissed the remaining counts against him.[2] On petition # 7911JJ, count I, the court imposed a disposition of eighteen months in the custody of the State, Office of Youth Development. On petition # 7912JJ, count V, the court imposed a disposition of six months in the custody of the State, Office of Youth Development. On petition # 7912JJ, count IX, the court imposed a disposition of eighteen months in the custody of the State, Office of Youth Development. The court ordered that the dispositions would be served concurrently with one another and recommended mental health and drug counseling for the child. Additionally, in the event of early release on parole, the court ordered the child to pay restitution for medical bills. The child moved for a new dispositional hearing and to transfer disposition to a proper venue, but the motion was denied. He now appeals, designating the following assignments of error:

1. The trial court committed legal error in failing to determine whether the factors listed in La. Ch.Code art. 315(B) were present, and if so, in failing to transfer the dispositional hearing to the Twenty-first Judicial District Court.

2. The trial court committed legal error in failing to conduct a dispositional hearing as required by La. Ch.Code arts. 892 et seq.

3. The trial court committed legal error in failing to abide by the requirements of La. Ch.Code art. 903(A) before entering disposition.

For the following reasons, we affirm the adjudication of delinquency and the dispositions on petition # 7911JJ, count I, and petition # 7912JJ, counts V and VIII.

FACTS

Due to the child's guilty plea, no witnesses testified concerning the facts in this matter. However, in connection with his pleas of true, the child conceded that he was in court due to an incident at school that caused harm to a teacher and due to his possession of a legend drug. Additionally, the record contains a case narrative concerning the charges under petition # 7912JJ. According to the narrative, the child indicated that the disturbance at Northshore Options (an alternative school in Mandeville) resulted from animosity between two groups of individuals, one from Hammond and one from Bogalusa, attending the facility. On the morning of February 20, 2008, fights broke out between the individuals after the child made a comment about another individual and that individual began to "buck up" to him.

LA. CODE CRIM. P. ART. 881.2(A)(2)

The State argues that the instant appeal should not be considered because the adjudication and dispositions herein were entered pursuant to a counseled plea agreement, and under La. Ch.Code art. 803, where procedures are not provided in the Children's Code, the court should proceed *30 in accordance with the Code of Criminal Procedure. See also La. Ch.Code art. 104 ("Where procedures are not provided in this Code, or otherwise by law, the court shall proceed in accordance with: (1) The Code of Criminal Procedure in a delinquency proceeding and in a criminal trial of an adult."). The State argues, under La.Code Crim. P. art. 881.2(A)(2), the defendant cannot appeal or seek review of a sentence imposed in conformity with a plea agreement that was set forth in the record at the time of the plea. The State also cites State ex rel. J.C.O., 38,661, p. 7 (La. App.2d Cir.6/2/04), 877 So.2d 1020, 1025, wherein the court stated "[t]he juvenile's counseled decision to admit the allegations in the petition in exchange for a sentencing cap was an agreement in his favor, and he is not, in the absence of a ruling on a motion to modify the disposition based on specific grounds, entitled to appellate review of the disposition." The court then noted that even if it were to review the disposition on the theory that the juvenile was misled into believing that he was entitled to appeal the disposition, it would not find the disposition constitutionally excessive. State ex rel. J.C.O., 38,661 at p. 8, 877 So.2d at 1025.

The Children's Code does not contain an equivalent provision to La.Code Crim. P. art. 881.2(A)(2). Indeed, the Children's Code favors review of dispositions. With the exception of dispositions imposed on certain offenses (none of which are involved here), La. Ch.Code art. 909 provides "after the entry of any order of disposition, the court retains the power to modify it[.]" Accordingly, we will consider the assignments of error.

TRANSFER OF PROPER VENUE

In assignment of error number 1, the child argues the Twenty-second Judicial District Court (St. Tammany Parish) erred in failing to transfer the case to the Twenty-first Judicial District Court (Tangipahoa Parish) because he was domiciled in Tangipahoa Parish and on probation there. The child argues the petitions filed against him indicated he was domiciled in Tangipahoa Parish. He also claims a progress report filed in the record informed the court there was a request for a probation hold on him.

Louisiana Children's Code art. 315, in pertinent part, provides:

A. At any time, the court in which a petition is filed may transfer the case for the convenience of the parties and the witnesses and in the interests of justice to another court having venue according to Article 314.
B. After adjudication, the court in which a petition is filed shall transfer the proceeding if it receives information at any time that both of the following exist:
(1) The child is domiciled with his parent or tutor in another parish.
(2) The court of the child's domicile has proceedings currently pending before it.

On June 18, 2008, defense counsel advised the court that the child would withdraw his former pleas of not true to the charges and plead true, under petition # 7911JJ, count I, to an amended charge of one count of violation of La. R.S. 40:1238.1 and plead true to petition # 7912JJ, counts V and IX.

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Bluebook (online)
11 So. 3d 27, 2009 WL 837783, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-ex-rel-nh-lactapp-2009.